


Transcendents

by WriterJunkie



Category: Terminator (Movies)
Genre: 1890s, AU, Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Archaeology, F/F, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:08:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23403502
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WriterJunkie/pseuds/WriterJunkie
Summary: An archeologist in the making, Dani finds out her father has found something none of them could ever imagine. Now with loose ends and unanswered questions, Dani decides to continue the excavation her father once started.
Relationships: Grace Harper & Dani Ramos, Grace Harper/Dani Ramos
Comments: 12
Kudos: 59





	1. Part I

Dani is three days away from boarding a steamer bound to Mexico City when she receives the news. Lost at sea. The ship wreckage is found off the coast of Mexico, not a crewman insight. She rearranges for her return to London from Manchester. The train ride is solemn and full of mournful cries. It’s the only moment of peace. Dani knows her mother will be too grief-stricken to go over the will when she arrives. The ride is tiresome and long, Dani gets little sleep by the rumbling of the engine. 

By noon the train arrives. Dani steps on to the platform, a strong gust of wind whisks behind her. The thick fog from the neighboring factories gives London a gloomy overcast. Dani clutches her suitcase and makes her way through the crowd of passengers and workers. 

“Ms. Ramos.” 

Squeezing her way between a family of three, a man with an orange curly beard wearing a paperboy tweed hat, and a brown cotton blouse waves from the carriage. He timidly clasps his hands over his chest, his face sullen. 

“Hello Liam,” Dani says. 

“Evening Miss.” Liam greets. “I um… I heard about Mr. Ramos. I’m sorry you had to return to London with such awful news.” 

Dani lips purse. 

“How is mother?” 

Liam rubs a hand down his beard. His frown deepening.

“Not well I’m afraid,” Liam says. “Shall I take your luggage?”

Dani hands over her two suitcases. He lugs them to the top of the carriage. 

“Let’s not waste time then. I have much to do during my stay.” Dani answered. 

“Right away, miss,” Liam says.

Liam ties the luggage and helps her in before he makes his way to the driving seat. 

***

The manor is eerily silent. Dani is greeted in the foyer by the house servant, Simon, a towering man with thick brown hair and tanned skin. He’s quiet most of the time and docile, but his height often frightens people when they first see him. He takes her bags with a short nod as he leaves the foyer. Dani removes her waistcoat and faces a passing maid.

“Where’s mother?” 

The maid takes the coat. 

“In her room, miss. She’s been there all day.” 

Dani thanks her and makes her way through the foyer and up the curved grand stairwell, leading to the fourth floor. She knocks before entering, but her mother doesn’t answer and Dani can hear her sniffling behind the door.

“Mother, I’m coming in,” Dani says. 

The room is dim and the air stale. The tapestries of the balcony window are drawn shut. A woman lays on her canopy bed in her shift, weeping. Dani approaches the foot of the bed. 

“Mother, you shouldn’t be locked in like this. It isn’t healthy.” Dani sighs.

Mrs. Ramos is wiping away her tears with a silk handkerchief. Dani steps closer, putting a hand over her mother’s to soothe her. 

“Have you eaten?” Dani asks. “I’ll have the cooks make you a warm meal.” 

Mrs. Ramos is hiccuping as she tries to control her sobbing and puts her cloth aside. 

“I’m not hungry.” Mrs. Ramos says. 

“I’ll have a maid send you a cup of tea then. In the meantime, let’s get some fresh air.” Dani says. 

She walks over to the balcony, yanking back the tapestries. The afternoon light filters through the window and illuminates the room. Dani gazes outside, seeing the view of their beautiful and vibrant garden. The flowers her father had imported. He used to explain the names of each flower when she was a girl. The memory is bittersweet and painful. They used the gazebo in the center of the garden during hot summer days while she listened to her father about his adventures. Dani frowns and turns away from the window, forcing a stiff smile on her face.

“I’ll have the cooks make us dinner,” Dani says. 

She exits the room with a heavy sigh and takes a deep breath to compose herself before walking down the hall. This isn’t going to be an easy stay. 

Dinner is a sorrowful event. It’s strange coming down to eat alone at a mahogany table built to seat ten people. Mrs. Ramos declines to eat dinner. Dani has food sent to her room instead. Occasionally, the maid refills her cup. Dani stares at the head of the chair a few times, where her father always sat. She wonders what story he would share to get her and her mother to laugh. He took pride in his work, the good and the bad. Filled with things Dani hoped to experience with him by her side one day. With a dwindling appetite, Dani heads to bed. The lawyer will be the first place to go during her errands tomorrow. A maid helps her change for bed, but Dani finds herself lying awake for some time weeping. 

***

The lawyer is scheduled to read the will tomorrow noon. Then there is the grave keeper and the arranged burial. Dani goes over the cost of the services and the rites with the church. It’s a long day of back and forth negotiations. A long day of funeral arrangements without a body. Dani is exhausted by the end of it. Scowling in a tower of books, a knock comes from the library door. Simon enters with a tray of silverware. 

“Your tea, miss, as requested.” He says. 

Dani put her book down.

“Thank you, Simon.” 

The tray is set on the table.

“How are you feeling?” Simon asks, his voice soft and comforting.

He gives Dani a knowing look, his eyes filled with wisdom and knowledge from years of work with her family. He knows Dani and she knows him in kind. Dani knew Simon during her early years in the manor. He was younger than, but still stern. One of many things her father was good at, was reading people. 

“I… This is a difficult time,” Dani admits. 

Simon nods. 

“Your father was a good man.” 

Dani bit her bottom lip. 

“He would know how to console mother,” Dani says.

“You’re a brilliant woman too, Ms. Ramos,” Simon adds. “Your father taught you well.” 

“Thank you, Simon.” 

He gives a curt nod and leaves. The library is a place of peace. A shared space with fond memories with her father. Standing alone with a flickering candle, it gives a somber feeling, rather than the calming effects it once had. Dani pours herself a cup. Exhausted, She rubs a hand over her face and picks up her fountain pen. The tea would be enough to stay up longer and make her list. There needs to be a count of how many people are expected to arrive at the funeral. Dani drops in a single sugar cube and stirs it. 

***

The day of the funeral is too soon. Dani isn’t prepared. She is a jumble of pent up emotions and frustration. Mrs. Ramos isn’t any better. It’s a hassle to get her ready but Dani and the maids manage. Simon helps guide Mrs. Ramos to the carriage. Liam is quiet and his mouth is contorted into a frown. Dani is the first to arrive aside from the priest, who gives his condolences before moving back to the head of the coffin. The guest trickles in. All in black and quiet, some with a bouquet of flowers, others with their heads down. They’re just as distraught by the news. Mrs. Ramos is sniffling, her hand grabbing on to Simon. Dani stands alone, tall and composed. The funeral starts and she allows herself to shed a few tears while the wailing of her mother continues behind her. Seeing the coffin go into the ground after their final goodbyes give no closure. Dani knows the coffin is empty, save for her father’s clothes. But the funeral is over, the priest leaves, then Dani is approached by their relatives. Simon gets Mrs. Ramos back to the carriage as she’s a sobbing mess. Dani stays behind, greeting the guest, thanking them for arriving as they give their condolences. She sees cousins and uncles she hasn’t in a long time. A few work friends of her father’s. They all are shaken and eyes puffy with tears. Dani is in the middle of speaking with her cousin when she notices her. A woman, with short blonde hair, in a vest with the cuffs of her short collar buttoned and a necktie. She’s wearing knickerbockers with long navy socks and leather boots. She places a hand on the headstone. Dani tries to keep up with the conversation, but she’s drawn to this woman. She doesn’t look familiar and Dani remembers the list of guests invited. 

“If you need anything do not hesitate to contact me.” Her cousin said.

Dani thanks him then he leaves. The woman is still at the headstone. Dani tries to scurry over to speak with her.

“Dani Ramos?”

The flat tone of the accent is striking and heavy. Nothing like the locals. Dani turns around to see a man with a full grey beard and mustache. His skin is tan with wrinkles. He wears fitted trousers and a waist-length coat with the short collar of his shirt peeking out of his double-breasted vest. 

“I’m sorry, have we met?” Dani says.

“I apologize for my sudden arrival. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you to speak with you in person.” He apologizes. “I am Carl Ward. I was a colleague of your father. May I have a moment of your time?”

Dani looks over to his shoulder to see the woman long gone. She nods. 

“I’m sorry about your father. He was one of the best in his field.” Carl says.

“Thank you, Mr. Ward, is there anything I can do for you?” Dani questions.

He fishes his hand into his jacket pocket and pulls out a letter.

“I’ve come to offer you an opportunity.” Carl says.“I wanted to hand the letter to you in person, given the sensitive nature of it.”

Dani glares. 

“I don’t need any of your donations Mr. Ward my father -- ”

“It’s not money I’m offering. Please read the letter on your own time.” Carl informs. “I respected your father. It’s the least I can do.” 

“And how can I be certain you are a friend of my father?” Dani says.

Carl nods, fishing into his pocket again and pulls out a folded picture. The photo is a black and white image of her father with other men behind him holding digging tools and his arm around a younger-looking Carl with a fuller head of hair. His mustache is darker. Dani looks him over. Her father spoke little about Carl. He shares his experiences in other countries and the locals he encounters, a few of his workers, but none by the name of Carl Ward. Dani takes the letter.

“It was a pleasure to finally meet you Ms. Ramos, good day.” He said. 

Dani watches him leave through the cemetery gate. 

***

She doesn’t touch the letter in the first week. She’s still settling down from the emptiness of the house. The things her father left to them stayed many were taken away or donated. His tools and artifacts were donated to museums. It’s something Dani knew her father would want. The manor is lifeless and empty. As if the warmth of it is sucked out and left abandoned. Dani sorts through her father’s journals, his books, she studies from them and keeps them in the library. It’s when she’s getting ready for bed when she finds the letter again, wedged between the vanity mirror and music box. She hesitates to open. The curiosity eats at her a moment longer before she tears it open. It throws her off. That letter is not what she expects and she is conflicted between tearing it up and contemplating its contents. Dani folds it back up and puts it away again. Another three days pass when she thinks about it again after stumbling upon an ancient Spanish coin her father left her. It’s tucked in her jewelry box. Dani flips it in her fingers then she puts it back. 

“Simon, have Liam get the carriage ready.” Dani orders. 

She opens the letter back up. 

***

Carl exits his hotel while shrugging his frock coat on. 

“Mr. Ward,” Dani says. 

She is standing outside her carriage. Carl greets her. 

“I see you have read my letter.” Carl notices. “Shall we talk about this over lunch?”

They find a cafe two blocks down with outdoor seating. It’s a mildly sunny day with a comforting cool breeze. Carl serves her first and adds sugar before getting a cup for himself. The tension feeding off Dani is palpable and heavy. Carl keeps calm, his face neutral. 

“I have no reason to return.” Dani chides. “I’ve given up my studies.”

Carl nods. He expects this much. It’s too soon to come to her about this, but he is pressed for time. 

“I’m sorry Mr. Ward. I can not help you with this.” Dani says. “I’m in mourning.”

“Your father would have wanted you to take it,” Carl says.

Dani’s jaw clenches. She can’t say she isn’t interested. He has no reason to come to a woman to seek help. He could have searched for others. Why would he ask for her? 

“He boasted about you during our travels,” Carl says. “I know your qualifications. What you’re capable of and I want the best of the best. Who is more qualified than the daughter of the world’s best archeologist of our time?” 

Dani picks up her teacup in a shaky hand. Carl’s face softens. He’s understanding of the situation. How sudden this is. How he’s asking for too much from a mourning child. He inhales.

“This isn’t just some excavation in Mexico City. Your father and I found something there, a relic.” Carl explained. “He believed it was something far more ancient than any of us could ever imagine. He insisted that it had magical properties.” 

Dani scoffs.

“Listen to yourself.” She says. 

“I know how that sounds and I swear by the lord himself it is true,” Carl said. “But he insisted he should be the one to bring it back. Confident that you and he can decipher the ancient Mexican text.”

Dani bit her bottom lip, putting her teacup down. It rattled on the saucer and spilled some drops of tea on the cloth of the table. Dani gulped. 

“It’s also what got him killed.” She hisses. 

Carl took out a small leatherbound book from his coat pocket, sliding it across the table.

“This is his journal. The others were lost in the wreckage, but it dates the last of his days before he set sail.” Carl replies. “Read this and contact me again once you’ve considered my offer.”

***

Dani reads the journal after dinner, settling in the library with a cup of tea on the table. The first three entries are usual. The dates and times of days. The long hours Mr. Ramos spent digging during the long hot days. The times he would dig during the night with a lantern overhead. He goes through moments of uncertainty. How he worries if he’s in the right direction. The further entries are about the time nothing was found, nothing but dirt and walls of it around the entire time. It’s when Dani reaches the last three entries her father mentions finding tables of ancient text. The artifacts he finds. He finds something odd in one of them, wrapped in a clay pot and wrapped in olden cloth. The months of digging pay off and something strange happens. Dani finds it hard to believe, but the item is an ancient long and twisted piece of wood. It’s man-made, smoothened and carved with symbols that aren’t related to the Mexican text. It’s from a different country, but it didn’t make sense why it would be in Mexico City. The journal doesn’t mention anything after that for almost a week. The last entry her father states how his worker revealed the importance of the staff. How it’s a powerful relic that a powerful being seeks. How it wasn’t supposed to be found and he promises to bring it back to find a safer place to keep it. Then he mentions how he’s being chased and how he isn’t sure how he can stop this being. The power they wield is nothing of this earth. Then it ends. Dani flips through the entries again hoping to find something hidden but that’s it and she closes the book. It takes some time for her to settle before getting into bed. Her thoughts on the journal. 

***

She dreams that night. At first, it's her father and his last minutes on his ship. The fear he goes through. The dangers he faces with the ocean waves and that powerful being. A dark mist full of evil and fear. An entity that feels older than time itself. She watches it walk towards her father, steady and poised, everything behind it falling apart and crumbling to dust. The crewmen scream as they’re broken into the same dust when the tendrils the entity gives off touches them. The planks of the boat crack apart. Dani hears the crisp snap of the boat as it breaks in two and her father screams as the tendrils cover him. It engulfs him then he’s gone. Dani screams watching him disappearing into the entity and she covers her face as a blinding light shoots off from her. The dark figure shrinks away and Dani closes her eyes as the light takes over the entire ship. The smell of the ocean is gone and the sound of its crashing waves no more. She feels an intense warmth around her. The light dims down. Dani opens her eyes to see a nursery room and hears the coo of a baby in her arms. She looks down, awestruck to see it here, yawning and smiling as Dani looks into its brown eyes. She feels an intense amount of love and connection with the baby. She smiles. Arms wrap around her, pulling her into the soft feel of her lover. 

“You’re safe now.” She whispers.

Dani looks down, seeing the lean arms around her, covered in scars around her forearm. 

“Who are you?” Dani says. 

She turns around to meet them, but she fades away. The only thing Dani can see is her soft smile and her rounded chin before she disappears. Dani wakes up gasping and sweaty. She takes a moment to examine her room and calm down enough to get up. She picks up her father’s journal on the nightstand. She studies it, but she’s no fool to turn down signs. 

“What happened to you, Papi,” Dani whispers.

***

Carl isn’t surprised to see Dani again that afternoon. She looks angry and determined. Carl tucks today’s newspaper under his arm before he steps down the hotel steps. 

“I assume you are ready to talk?” He asks.

He invites her to his room. It’s more private. He offers her a drink of wine but Dani declines, too flustered. Carl sits at his desk while Dani takes the lounge couch. Carl pours himself a cup of whiskey. 

“So, you read the journal.” He states. 

Dani nods. Carl picks up his cup and swirls it. 

“You expect me to believe it?” Dani says. “It’s madness. Has father lost his mind?” 

“I can assure you, it is not,” Carl replies. “And a part of you agrees.” 

Carl took a sip from his cup. 

“How would you know?” Dani says.

Carl exhales. 

“Because you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t think otherwise,” Carl says. “And honestly, I can use your expertise. Maybe both of us can finally get closure. Your father believed in himself to handle the relic but he was underprepared.”

Dani folds her hands on to her lap, staring into the fabric of her gloves. She recalls the journal. The days long and countless hours of digging with no results than the discovery of the staff. The way it’s described while not of Mexican origin, Dani is drawn to it. A familiarity radiates off of it. 

“And should I say I believe you, who is to say I would not end up like my father?” Dani says. 

Carl sees it as an honest concern. The last thing he wants is to lead another to an ill-fated death. Especially the daughter of his long time friend. 

“There are things we are starting to find out about this relic and the beast that killed your father,” Carl says. “I’ve hired more guards. I’ve taken more precautions, but nothing is certain. With my knowledge, as a historian, and yours, we can figure this out, I’m sure.” 

He doesn’t demand her to come with him or talk her into it. Carl keeps his answer open for her to decide. Now she’s aware of the dangers. Not just from the locals in Mexico City or possible illnesses, but this being that would stop at nothing to obtain this relic. A being not of this earth as it is described. Is that something she wishes to be involved in? Her father was willing to be at risk to leave with it. That is something she needs to see for herself. 

“When do we leave?” Dani questions. 

Carl smiles, shaking his cup again. 

“Tomorrow at dawn.” He says. 

  
  



	2. Part II

Dani is a bundle of nerves the day of her travel. She’s been on steamers before, during family vacations, but there is a somber feeling boarding this steamer. She’s alone, save for Carl, while warm and comforting as he can be, he is not her father. Seeing him walk the deck, all it does is remind Dani of her purpose to be here in the first place. The fact that neither of them know what happened to her father. And the dangers of returning to the scene of her father’s death. Dani fears this man, being of some sort, especially if it’s to say this being is anything like her dream. Then there is what happened after. The baby and the woman she can’t clearly remember but the feeling she has towards her. Dani can’t make her dream. The feeling of the entire excavation is clear though and it isn’t anything exciting, most definitely not safe. Dani is sure to pack enough for her months-long stay, but she keeps only the essentials. She’s adjusted to the boat life in a week's time, but she spends most of it reading on the deck. Carl comes to her one day, now at least a month into their journey. She peers over her book to see him with two cups of tea and pastries along with a newspaper for him.

“You seem focused.” Carl says.

“It’s a long journey to Mexico City. That gives me plenty of time to prepare.” Dani said. 

“And what is it that you hope to prepare for?” Carl questions. 

Dani puts her book down, watching Carl hand her teacup in its saucer. He rests the newspaper on the table. Dani puts her book down, snatching up a pastry and chomps into it. Her stomach grumbles at the sweet jam filling. She recalls skipping breakfast today. 

“I’m not sure.” Dani admits. “I just… I’m hoping for answers mostly.” 

Carl took a sip from his cup. He nods thoughtfully. 

“The answers you wish to not come across.” Carl says.

Dani shuffles her book aside, putting her bitten pastry down on a plate. 

“I know it’s too soon, but father always told me to be prepared.” Dani says. “One way I know how is reading. The theories and findings of past excavations.” 

“Yes, he’s taught you well, but this is different.” Carl explains. “What happened is… Not of this earth, if I’m being frank.” 

Dani scoffs, picking up her cup and taking a swig. 

“If you went to the American Antiquarian Society they’d call you mad.” Dani says.

Carl gave a chuckle of his own and shrugs. 

“You’re not wrong.” Carl agrees. “It’s why I needed to continue this excavation farther.” 

Dani puts her cup down, scanning over the cover of her book. The golden lettering painted on the leather cover of it. Carl watches her. 

“But you believe me.” He says.

Dani meets his gaze, her upper lip pinned between her teeth and slowly released. She digs into her pockets and pulls out her father’s journal. Carl rips into his pastry and takes a bite. The crumbs scatter across the table and over his newspaper. 

“This relic, a staff as my father put it, I can not explain it,” Dani whispers. “I feel as though I know it. Almost as if I’ve seen it before, but there is no ancient Mexican text about it.” 

“That’ll be something we can decide once we get there.” Carl says. “I have the best men working this excavation.” 

Dani doesn’t tell him about her dream or the bad feeling she has about it looming over the entire adventure. He may be understanding, but the dreams are too far-fetched, even for him. Dani has a haziness between the relic and the dreams, an inkling that both have a telling factor but that can not be proven. Dreams are meant to be dreams as her mother tells years ago. While vivid, there is nothing to fear; except, this dream feels different, the weight of it and the meaning of it is something she can’t quite decide on. Dani just hopes to find answers when she gets there. 

***

Dani arrives late afternoon, the sun sweltering and the heat unbearable. Staff from the site waits for them, waving and gathering luggages. A man, with a round baby face and the faint growth of a beard approaches them. His face sweaty and the rest of him covered in dirt, smudges of it along his white blouse. 

“Welcome back Mr. Ward!” He greets. “And Ms. Ramos?”

“Evening, Eugene, Dani, this is my assistant. He helps me catalogue the artifacts.” Carl says. “Is there any news?”

“Not since the last finding, sir. We did however find pieces of the wreckage.” Eugene says. 

Dani stiffens. Carl eyes him with annoyance, before checking back on Dani. She’s quiet. Eugene keeps his head down and walks ahead with the luggage in hand. There’s a tense silence between them once inside the carriage. 

“Uh, your tent is ready Ms. Ramos, unless you should wish to rent a hotel.” Eugene informs. 

“I like working close to the locations. That’ll be fine Eugene, thank you.” Dani says. 

Eugene nods and the carriage drives off. 

***

Dani changes into more suitable clothing when she arrives. Knickerbockers, folded below the knees, calf length socks underneath, with her gigot sleeve shirt on top, paired with a silk neckerchief cloth tied around the high collar. She keeps her hair pinned up into a bun with strands of hair framing her face. Carl was standing along the edge of a digging site, three feet below were men digging and walking through the pit with their tools. He had a change of clothes himself, with his frock coat removed and his blouse sleeves folded up with his vest on top. A long brimmed hat atop his head kept the sun out as he held a cigar in his mouth, puffing it out through his nose. He faces Dani and removes his cigar to stub it out on a tree. 

“There’s much to show you.” Carl says, turning away from the dig site.

“You’ve been doing extensive work.” Dani states, following Carl towards the tents.

“Yet nothing else has showed up except that relic.” Carl said, with a disappointing grunt. 

He leads her to a row of tents. The largest one was stationed farther back and the flaps left open. Eugene stands inside with a cup for tea and biscuits. In the center of the tent is a table, Carl stands over the edge looking for the map that’s pinned to it. The parchment is faded and with wrinkles at the corners. The map is marked with X’s and circles as well as writing on the marked locations such as the area of digging and passed found artifacts. Carl points to the circled area marked current dig site. 

“We’re here. The relic was found in our old area twenty feet away from us.” Carl says. 

“Why move here now?” Dani asks.

Carl disappointingly grimaced. 

“We spent weeks digging there for the rest of the pieces but as you know things aren't always found together.” Carl answers. “I was hoping to find the rest of it. Your father insisted it was—“”

“A staff.” Dani says. 

Carl nods. 

“What did this staff look like?” Dani inquires. 

“Your father wouldn’t tell me. He stayed in his tent studying it and writing.” Carl admits. 

Dani turns away from the map, a hand on her hip and a frown on her face. He would at least tell his historian about his theories. Why stay locked away while others dig? Eugene stands from his chair and offers Carl a cup of freshly brewed coffee. His own cup of tea left on a nightstand. Carl takes the cup and gulps it. 

“It wasn’t until three weeks when he came to me insisting it was dangerous.” Carl explains. “Then told me how it was an incomplete staff. The top of it broke off, but he tells me it was done intentionally.”

Dani frowns. The entire situation is worrisome and a part of her remembers why she’s here. That she is in the last location of his existence, things here are traces of him as he organized this entire excavation. Dani is torn between wanting to find out about his death and finish what he started. 

“And where is this staff?” Dani asks.

Carl takes a sip from his cup again and shakes his head. Dani presses a hand down on her table. 

“It was never recovered.” Carl says. 

“So you’re hoping to find the top part of the staff instead?” Dani asks. 

“That’s one thing yes, but I was hoping to find out where your father came up with such claims.” Carl adds. “This relic comes up in not a single book of history and it goes against what we all know.”

“Or what little we know from the beginning.” Dani says. “We knew nothing about dinosaurs until 1841 and now England has unearthed many bones of these creatures.” 

Carl turns away from the table, facing a tent wall that contains drawings of artifacts and Dani’s eyes settle on the staff. 

“That’s one stretch of a theory Ms. Ramos. What exactly is the origin of this staff and why have no mentions of it in scientific texts or folklores?” Carl says. 

She knew he was right. And she knew backing up her father’s theories were no way to make anything solid as he too just had thoughts of the staff. There is no evidence but it’s design and craftsmanship along with its location didn't add up. It wasn’t fit for ancient Mexican relics. The runes were suggestions of another region. 

“Where is your curator?” Dani asks. “They must have notes and other organized relics that might help me.” 

“Six tents over and to the right.” Carl answers. 

Dani crosses her arms over her waist and paces back to the table. 

“I think I’ll give him a visit then.” Dani agrees. 

***

Carl insists Eugene takes Dani over to the curator. He walks Dani through the neighboring tents, all of them are empty and most of the flaps partly open. 

“Uh… I’m not sure if I should ask, but are you going to find out what happened to your father?” Eugene says. 

“I would like to, but there is the staff I should find.” Dani says. “There is a chance I would uncover a dead body and I’ve come to terms with him not surviving.”

Eugene nods then stands in front of a large tent with both flaps open. There are crates piled on top of each other and scattered along the room. A collection of wooden cabinets next to the crates. 

“Well, this is it. I hope you find what you’re looking for.” Eugene says.

Dani enters as he leaves and she is drawn to the cluster of items left around. Along the tent walls are glass display cases of artifacts and tablets, scrolls, and Dani is awestruck are the sheer amount of it. The months away has brought forth many beautiful pieces to return to England with, but why leave with a single staff? Dani walks farther down the crowded aisle and sees an abandoned desk with sheets of parchment left aside and books. She spots a handful of ancient coins next to a journal and fountain pen. Dani flips open the book, skimming over the cursive writing. 

“Is anyone here?” Dani calls. 

She sees a figure weaving through the cabinets from the corner of her eye. There’s a clatter or noise from the shelves before the figure peeks out from the crates. 

“What are you doing in here?”

Dani looks up to see a woman from her right holding a book in her arms. She’s tall with broad shoulders, short blonde hair, folded knickerbockers, a vest with the collar of her shirtwaist sticking out, and boots with long socks. She looks angry, her jaw clenches, and she has nose glasses on her face.

“Who are you?” She says. 

Marching over to tower over Dani, she swipes the books from the desk and the journal before stuffing it into her vest pocket. She then removes her glasses, putting it into another pocket. Dani stares at her, speechless and dizzy. 

“These artifacts aren’t toys and I’d like it if you didn’t touch them.” The woman grumbles.

Dani gets a tingle up her arm as the woman steps closer, facing Dani with a pensive face. There’s a pull from her, something Dani can’t quite put her finger on that’s familiar. 

“Do I know you?” Dani asks.

The woman’s lips purse. 

“I don’t think so.” She says, tugging at the collar of her vest. “Who are you? I rather spend my time with the relics. I have much work to do.”

“Dani Ramos.” Dani says. 

The woman looks her over. She looks surprised.

“He managed to… Are you here to collect your father’s belongings?”

Dani watches this woman walk away with the coins and opens up a display case. She puts them in a cloth sack before closing it again and locking it. Dani watches her for a moment wondering if her mind is playing tricks on her. The familiar feeling is a strong, painful throb in the center of her head now. 

“No, I was hired to work here. I’m looking for the head curator.” Dani mentions. 

The woman turns around.

“I’m the only curator.” She says. “Grace Harper.”

Dani feels her shoulders tighten. Grace huffs and smiles as she tugs at the cuffs of her sleeve. The familiar feeling between them is faint, a warm buzzing against Dani’s skin. 

“Were you expecting a man?” Grace teases. “I can assure you I am qualified.”

Grace moves through the crates and puts the journals from earlier into a locked desk drawer. Dani braces a hand against a cabinet as a surge of nausea sunk into her gut. She gulps and deeply inhales before pushing off the cabinet to step forward. 

“I wasn’t expecting another archeologist to run this excavation again.” Grace admits. 

She’s focused on sorting through the books and placing them into the draw to touch Dani’s clammy face. 

“Is there anything I can help you with?” Grace says.

“I need… Records of my father’s last whereabouts.” Dani answers. “All notes and artifacts he last found or seen. Journals of his findings.”

Grace turns around to see Dani sway. Her face is sweaty and there’s a look of discomfort on her face. Before she can speak, Dani stumbles over and Grace is quick to catch her. Dani grips on to Grace's biceps as her forearms wrap around Dani’s waist. 

“Are you alright Ms. Ramos?” Grace asks.

Dani steadies herself and looks up into Grace’s brilliant blue eyes. She’s speechless and her face flushes, seeing the distance between them. The feel of her against Grace’s tall and sturdy frame. Dani rubs her thumb over Grace’s sleeve. 

“I-I, yes of course. I felt faint for a moment. I apologize.” Dani says, standing back up straight. 

Grace looks her over.

“It’s the heat. It can get to the best of us, maybe it's best if you step outside.” Grace suggests. 

Dani nods. She walks out with Grace, readjusting her hat and smoothening a hand over her knickerbockers. Grace gives her another concerned look when they’re a foot away from the tent. Dani gradually feels better, her clammy skin washed away. 

“I will bring you what I can find.” Grace offers. 

“What can you tell me about my father in the meantime?” Dani says.

“So you _are_ here to investigate your father’s disappearance.” Grace says. 

“You think he’s alive?” Dani questions. 

Grace tucks a hand under her chin. She scans over the rows of tents. 

“There was no body recovered if I remember correctly.” Grace says.

“Lost at sea implies an ill-fated death.” Dani says. “The least I would be expecting is a dead body. I just wish to get the truth. I’m hoping to recover the staff he was so willing to die for.” 

Grace looks pensive. A slight irritation in her face, her jaw tight and her shoulders squared. Dani eyes her.

“You know of the staff?” Dani asks.

“I remember when he discovered it.” Grace states. “An odd relic of this region.”

Dani steps forward, a hand cupped around Grace’s bicep.

“You’ve seen it? Are there records of those? The dig site?” Dani says. 

“I can look into it, but your father most likely took everything about it with him.” Grace says. “He was theorizing it led to a possible new civilization, unheard of by anyone.” 

Grace looks perplexed. She gazes between Dani and the dirt below her boot. Possible discomfort about the staff? Maybe because of its link to the death of her father? Dani understands he works closely with everyone and has strong friendships with his staff. It is something he tells her about being important since the months away are hard. 

“The loss affected everyone.” Dani says. 

“I just… There’s a bad feeling about that staff.” Grace starts. “I told him before, but look where it got him. What little text I could decipher, it mentions the dangers it wields but such things like that are superstitions.”

“But you believe they were true?” Dani asks, watching Grace nod.

That’s better than her first start which was to take the journal entries with a grain of salt. Her father has been wrong before with new findings by other archeologists it was expected. As a curator though, Grace had theories too. Carl wasn’t sure how to take this entire situation other than his historian background. The facts weren’t there and theory was just theory until proven otherwise. It was a small comfort Dani was willing to take. A curator that had reason to suspect the staff to be more than it appears. Who else knew about her father’s travel? 

“We must find that staff.” Dani implores. “I’ll speak with the others. Thank you for your assistance Grace.”

Grace gives her a second glance, her lips pursed and brows furrowed before returning back to her tent. Others were smart to take heed to warnings, Dani has not an ounce of fear in her bones. Especially if it meant finding greater things. Courage can just as easily get a man dead. 

***

Dani asks around, trying to get what she can with the workers during their breaks. It’s midday, the sun high above the clouds and hot. Sweat trickles down Dani’s temple and glides along her neck, behind her high collar. There isn’t much she gets from the workers. Things her father seems important were often kept to him and very few she finds. Carl approaches her as she’s done speaking with another member and he is covered in dirt.

“Ms. Ramos, I heard you met Grace.” Carl greets. “I hope she wasn’t too rural.” 

“Is she always this driven by her work?” Dani questions. 

Carl chuckles.

“Well, you left an impression on her too.” Carl says. “She mentioned you when I stopped by to give her a new artifact to record.” 

“She seems to be the only one to know about my father’s last hours.” Dani notes. 

Carl nods. He thinks little of it. Grace is the only curator. That leaves much work to get gone. And they’ve found plenty of pieces in their long months. Of course she would see her father possibly more than others. 

“She’s as driven as your father. Although her years locked away studying has left her a bit of a hermit. Poor social skills if you ask me.” Carl chuckles. “It’s about lunch time now, would you like to come with me?”

Dani accepts the offer and they’re walking through the tents. Many of the workers are leaving the dig site covered in dirt and into the communal tents. Several tables are set with many staff members pulling out their meals from jars and tin cans. Carl picks up two loaves of bread from a table that is left to the staff. They exit the tent and return to Carl’s where he has a basket of food next to a small table. He has a bottle of wine set on if, blocks of cheese, bread, butter, and picked vegetables. 

“Would you like a glass of wine?” Carl asks.

Dani agrees this time. With the stress of today’s findings, a drink would be nice to unwind with. Carl serves her first and fixes her a plate. 

“It’s not much but I’ll have fresh food some time if we can strike a deal with some locals.” Carl says. 

The lack of variety in food is striking in comparison to Dani’s usual meals. It makes little sense to bring fresh foods with them due to the long travel and weather. However, the taste of the canned and pickled goods is nothing like the feast Dani is used to but she will adjust. Canned and dried foods were best to stick with during boat travels and occasionally smoked meats.

“The agreement was the excavation. Don’t make it easily become an investigation.” Carl warns. 

“I need to make sure there is nothing left behind. What if my father’s shipwreck was intentional?” Dani says. “Is it not strange that he suddenly finds a staff and then he’s lost at sea?”

Carl sips his wine and takes a slice of his cheese block. He doesn’t look upset by this, possibly something he’s thought about too. He nods and gets up to rummage through his bag. He pulls out a smoked sausage and comes back to cut it by the slice. 

“You know, a lot of the people here think so too.” Carl announces. “But it’s a dead end pursuing it. I have tried and there is no other lead to go on.”

Carl cuts another piece of cheese and puts the sausage on top if and with this bread slice. 

“I need to retrace his steps. I need to be sure myself.” Dani insisted. 

“And what of your safety?” Carl says. “You can not be a repeat of your father’s fate either.”

Dani picks up a butter knife and smears her ripped half of bread with it. Carl takes a bite of his slice. He spoke a truth Dani has not put into account. While looking for her father’s last findings is important, this was another country, one she was familiar with in readings and a few visits as a child, but that was years ago. It may still be another land with locals either, but it was foolish to think none were hostile and many friendly. And if her theory were true, who ever planned this would not want to be found. Dani could very well be the next target.

“I’ll be careful.” Dani promises. 

“I’ll have to have some guards with you, just in case.” Carl says. 

“And have them scare away or ruin any evidence?” Dani scoffs. “I think not.” 

Carl frowns. 

“Then by any chance do you know how to use a gun?” Carl says.

Dani looks down, defeated. Her father insisted she learn some form of defense but she rather read and learn. Carl nodded.

“You will need guards.” Carl says. 

“Then send me one that isn’t a brute. They must understand the importance of our work.” Dani pleads. 

“Aside from me?” Carl says. “I may know another. Come see me tomorrow morning.” 

They enjoy the rest of the meal, going over today’s findings. How it has nothing to do with the staff and Carl finds it to be usual ancient Mexican tools. It’s a slow day beside that. Then Carl goes over her father’s digging sites. How he can get her directions to go and possibly have a trunk or two of these things before his tent was taken down. He circles areas of possible staff recovery along the waters and the dig site with an extra map. Satisfied with the information, he hands Dani a dagger for her protection. They go over a few ways to use it but Dani is not quick with her hands nor poised with her feet. When she’s tried enough and it’s late Dani returns back to her tent with the dagger and the map. The tents now were closed and some with glowing orange light from lanterns inside. Dani heard whispering on her way passing Grace’s tent.

“This can’t be good.” 

Dani pauses, realizing she doesn’t recognize this voice. It’s a woman and stepping closer behind ajar tents Dani can see the figure of her. Smaller in comparison to the other figure in front of her. 

“I know that but I can’t stay here either.” 

Dani gulps, recognizing the second figure to be Grace. She leans forward and whispers again. Dani doesn’t catch any of it and steps forward. 

“What can you do then? You’re needed here and you have to move the—“

Dani kicks over a crate of digging tools and it rattles through the night. She gulps as the figures pause and look between each other before taking a step in her direction. 

“Who’s there?” Grace calls.

The tent next to Dani, she heard a grunt of a worker rousing from his sleep. 

“I should go.” The second woman says. 

She races off while Grace is standing in Dani’s direction. She hears a flicker of two flint rocks hitting together and Dani races just as the lantern inside the tent lits up. She makes it to her tent through the shadow of the night and takes a moment to catch her breath. Why would Grace meet with someone at this hour? What did she have to hide? Dani gathers her bearings and puts the map into a chest box then the blade underneath her pillow. This is something she can bring to Carl in the morning. 


	3. Part III

Dani gets another dream that night. The last days on her father’s ship. Except this one is different. While she watches the look of terror on her father’s face becoming absorbed in the black mist it begins to take form. The image of her father is a faint outline just as he is washed away and another man shifts in his place. The boat shakes, rumbling under Dani’s feet, and sending her wobbling off balance. She braces on to the ship flagpole. The splash of the ocean smacks the deck as it snaps in half. The figure clears. A man stands in its place. With short brown hair, his face stiff and vengeful. A chill runs through Dani as he looks at her, stepping forward as part of the boat behind him rears up sinking into the ocean. His eyes glow a burning amber hue, a snarl on his face before reaching his arm out to her. The appendage stretched, turning into a black tendril and wraps around Dani’s torso. She gasps, feeling it coil around her and slide up her arms. She felt the icy chill of it wash over her skin and twist around her neck. 

“Give me back what’s mine.” He hissed. 

Dani’s jaw drops, a choked cry escapes her mouth as the grip tightens. Gasping for air, Dani’s hands grab on to the tendril and she screams . 

“Ms. Ramos!” 

Dani jolts out of her bed, knocking Eugune and his cup of water to the ground. He grunts as he hits the floor. Dani huffs, winded and covered in a sheen of sweat. She places a hand to her racing chest and sighs. 

“Oh Eugune, I’m so sorry!” Dani says, reaching down to help him up.

He wipes his pants of any dirt. Dani takes his cup and hands it over.

“It’s alright, my you were… That must have been some dream.” Eugune says, with a chuckle. “Are you alright? You were crying.” 

Dani nods, looking over her tent and wrapping her arms around herself realizing she is in her shift. Eugune averts his eyes to the ground. 

“What time is it?” Dani asks.

“15 past 9, miss.” Eugune says. 

“I’m late! I have to get ready.” Dani rambles. 

“Right, Mr. Ward is waiting for you. I’ll tell him you’re on your way then.” Eugune offers. 

Dani is sorting through her suitcase as he makes his way out of the tent. 

***

“And you’ve arrived.” Carl says, watching Dani approach his tent.

He motions for her to follow him and they return to his tent as workers move past them with tools and bags in hand. 

“I apologize for the delay Mr. Ward.” Dani says. “Have you found suitable guards for excavation?” 

“Of course, one of them is still at the old dig site, which is on your way.” Carl answered. “But something came up, I’ve gotten word that part of your father’s ship washed on shore. The first wreckage was nothing but pieces of it; this is a large half of it.”

Dani slows her pace and looks him over. The memory of her dream coming back to her. It can’t be another coincidence. Carl opens the flap of his tent. 

“I’m sorry Mr. Ward, but I can’t stay idle any longer. I have work to -- So, she finally arrived.” Grace complains, watching Dani approach the tent behind Carl.

Carl enters, sorting through the items left on his table. He shows little irritation to Grace’s complaints, having heard her whine during the start of their adventure. She cares for the relics more than any of the staff here, but that is what makes her suitable for this work. Someone needs to make sure the items are in safe hands. As Dani enters, Grace stands, tucking her leatherbound book into the flap of her vest pocket. 

“She’s coming with me?” Dani asks.

Grace frowns. Carl gathers his digging tools into a satchel and a pistol into his holster hanging on his thigh. 

“We both are.” Carl announces. “However, Grace is the last to know about your father’s whereabouts and skillful with a gun. Who else would know the importance of our recovered artifacts than the person who records them?” 

Dani faces Grace, seeing her glaring at her. Her arms crossed over her chest. Grace turns to the table behind her and picks up a worn out book.

“Here are the recordings your father left behind. It’s the only thing I could find.” Grace answers, handing it over. “He intended to take everything with him to England. I’m not sure why.” 

Dani gingerly takes the book, seeing Grace watch her with an unreadable expression. Grace’s lips purse giving Dani one last glance before walking away with a scoff of disappointment. Dani glares and approaches Carl. It’s fair of Grace to be upset. She had everyone waiting for her an hour longer than they intended to leave. 

“We shouldn’t waste anymore time.” Dani says.

“I agree, but you have no interest in approaching the wreckage site?” Carl reminds. 

Eugune races into the tent, a hand over his hat to keep it from falling. He is red in the face and gasping for air. He bends over to catch his breath and lets out an exhausted chuckle before standing again, his face less red.

“S-Sorry! I um, we found something at the original site!” Eugune gasps. 

Grace’s jaw clenches and the hand resting on the edge of the table tightens. Dani raises a brow, watching Carl looking awestruck. 

“So we’ll attend the dig site first then.” Dani announces. 

Carl’s shoulders square and tightens. He gives a curt nod. 

“That’s agreed.” He says.

***

They take the jeep to the dig site as most of the trail is rocky dirt road with uneven terrain. It saves time to attend to the important matters when they arrive. The tunnels are much longer than the new site. It stretches for almost a good mile or three and is just as deep. The amount of men down digging is smaller in comparison. Carl stands over the edge of the tunnels, clearing his throat and getting the attention of the worker to his right, below him. 

“Get me the antiquitor.” Carl demands. 

The worker runs off and Dani walks along the tunnel, scoping out the distance of it. Grace digs into her chest pocket to pull out her nose spectacles and cleans them with a cloth. A patch of dirt trickles down the tunnel and Grace sharply turns to her right.

“Hey, would you stop that?” She grumbles. “A lot of work went into this and the last anyone needs is for you to cover it up.” 

Dani briskly spins around with a scowl. She approaches Grace. The mood between them is still the same sour and unpleasant feeling as before. Except, Dani can’t recall a reason for Grace to be this grouchy. They met once and now she’s left to work with her. Being late couldn’t be what puts anyone in this bad of a mood.

“You give off quite the impression that you do not like me here.” Dani says.

Grace scoffs. 

“Yeah? Well, I don’t like people ruining the hard work the rest of us did while you were away.” Grace snaps. 

“This isn’t my first time on the job.” Dani says.

“It’s the groundwork that matters around here.” Grace counters. “Not the years spent reading in your personal study room.” 

Dani steps closer to her. Grace’s frown deepens, she folds her arms over her chest. 

“You think I’m -- ”

“Well it took you long enough to get here!” 

Dani steps aside to see an older woman with greying hair and covered in dirt approach Carl. Grace turns around, placing her glasses on her face. 

“We came as soon as we could. I apologize.” Carl answers. “This is Sarah Conor, our antiquator. Sarah, this is Ms. Dani Ramos.” 

“Well, Ms. Ramos, I sure hope you’re as skilled as your father boasted.” Sarah says. “Let’s go back to the tent before I fill you in.” 

Sarah has her tent full of crates with tools and dirt pans. She digs through a box for tin cups and sets them on the table with her bottle of whiskey. She offers everyone a filling but they decline. She fixes herself a cup as Grace closes one of the tent flaps before approaching the table. 

“Is it true?” Carl questions. 

Sarah takes a gulp of her whiskey and groans. She sift through a chest box that’s under her bed. In her hands, she places a bundle of cloth on the table. 

“I can’t believe it myself, but I’m positive this is part of the staff.” Sarah says.

Dani pushes to the front of the group, her eyes wide as she reaches out to unravel the cloth. She pulls the cloth back and Grace places a journal down next to it. She flips through the pages. Laid between the bundles, is a chipped violet gem, the edges of it jagged. Grace leans a hand against the table, looking between the text of her book and the gem. She stands, her face stern and nods.

“This is a part of the staff.” Grace says. “But, how is it… I don’t understand. Mr. Ramos took everything with him. How did you find this?” 

“The shipwreck is not that far from us. One of our men found it last night.” Sarah answers. 

“There has to be more. If my father took what he had with him, what if the rest washed up?” Dani says.

Grace closes her book and stuffs it into her pocket. 

“That’s a huge if.” Grace says. 

“I think it’s worth investigating.” Carl disagrees. “We should act now while the sun is still up.” 

Grace wraps the gem back up before taking it and stuffing it into her satchel. 

“Let’s not waste time then.” Dani instructs. 

***

The ship wreckage is half a mile away from the original dig site. The first half mile is smooth enough to use the cars, but after that it is full of trees before reaching the shore. Carl is prepared to have lanterns for them and two machetes that he and Sarah use for the vegetation. It’s a quiet tread through the shrubs, everyone on their toes not sure what to expect when they arrive. The terrain is rocky with boulders rooted from the ground and twisted tree roots sticking out the soil. They hear the crash of the ocean first then the smell of the salt before they reach the end of the forest. Dani is overwhelmed seeing the large chunk of boat laying side down pinned between a wall of rocks. 

“We have to approach carefully. Who knows when this boat will get washed back out to sea.” Carl warns. 

“I’ll go.” Grace says.

“You can’t go alone. What if you get stuck?” Sarah says. “I’m coming with you.” 

It’s a few minutes of arguments and solutions before they decide to let Grace and Sarah climb the rocks. Dani instructs them to recover anything of value with them. They time their ascend to the rocks when the waves pull back and they make their way to the top. It’s slippery and the water smacking against them makes it difficult to stay balanced. Dani leans up on her toes to get a better view and watches them enter the boat. 

“Do you see anything?” Carl asks. 

There is a moment of silence except for the clashing waters. The thump of their boots echoing from the boat. 

“There isn’t much here.” Grace calls. 

“I see two chest boxes.” Sarah says. 

They stomp around the boat again, dragging the chest box along the floor. The boat creaks, shaking the floor of it as a harsh wave slams down on it. 

“Are you alright?” Dani says.

Sarah grunts as she pushes her way up and over the boat. The chest on her shoulder with Grace behind her holding it by the handle. They get that on to the rocks then go back down for the second one. The second chest takes less effort being smaller in size then Carl is on the rocks to get them down onto the sand. They hear grunting as Sarah and Grace bring the last box down. Dani stumbles back as Carl and Sarah move forward with guns drawn. 

“Who’s there?” Carl says.

There is another grunt behind the boat before it settles. They move around the rocks and see a man in sand-covered clothing. His hair and clothes dripping wet.

“P-Please, I… Help me?” 

Carl’s gun falters and Sarah keeps hers up, motionless. 

“My god.” Carl whispers.

Carl steps aside and Dani is overcome with shock and sadness. It takes a moment for everything to sink in and she’s sniffling and about to sob. 

“Papi?!” 

Dani is in tears, seeing her father meek and covered in a months’ worth of facial hair, but still alive. She runs over and hugs him, nearly knocking him to the ground. He finds purchase leaning against the boat.

“Easy mija.” He scoffs. 

Carl looks as if he has seen a ghost while Dani hugs her father, covered in tears. When she steps away her father looks her over with a smile of pride. 

“Emillio, my friend, I… I’m at a loss for words.” Carl says, coming over to hug him. “We all thought you were -- Let’s get you back to camp.” 

“I’ll get the chest boxes.” Grace offers. 

Dani leads her father to the forest with a hand around his arm. Grace is the only one hesitant about the entire thing. Sarah can’t make much sense of it. Grace shakes her head. 

“I don’t understand.” Grace says. “The day of the storm it was… No one survived that! How is it that he’s here, unharmed? The least we expected was a washed up dead body.” 

“I hate to say it, but I agree.” Sarah answers. 

“Emillio can tell us when he’s in better health.” Carl says. “In the meantime, get the chest boxes back and locked away for safekeeping.” 

He makes his way over to Dani and her father. Sarah grunts. 

“I think you’re right about this one.” Sarah says. “Keep a close eye on him.” 

Sarah gets the second smaller box and picks it up. Grace picks up the heavier box in both arms with ease. 

***

Dani doesn’t leave her father’s side. He arrives and everyone has the same reaction as her, speechless or a mix of shock as if seeing a ghost. They all greet him and are glad to have him back nonetheless. He’s off to the staff doctor to look over any illnesses or injuries. She’s relieved to hear that he’s in need of food and water, but nothing life threatening. Carl gets a staff member to give Emillio a hot meal and plenty of water. Carl offers him his razor to clean his beard up and hair then a fresh change of clothes. Dani is left to depart from her father and sees the bonfire in the center of the tents where everyone has settled to drink and eat their dinner in good company. Some play card games or tell stories. Dani watches everyone mutter among themselves laughing and others still shocked to hear the news of her father. Sarah joins Dani with a plate in hand and gives it to Dani. She has a tin cup in her other hand, the breeze of the night brings a whiff of whiskey with it. 

“Eat up.” Sarah says. 

Dani picks up her fork and shovels around her mashed potatoes, mixing the gravy with it and her hardtack. Sarah takes a gulp of her drink, a content grimace on her face from the burn of the alcohol. 

“I have to say, of all the things I expected, this is far from it.” Sarah says. “We’ve been here for ten months.” 

Dani cuts into her hardtack with her fork.

“Finding my father was the least of my concerns.” Dani admits. “And now…”

“Are you gonna head back to London?” Sarah says.

“It would be the logical thing to do. My mother would be so happy to see him.” Dani explains. 

“But you’re here now and your heart is set on the excavation?” Sarah questions. 

Dani bits her bottom lip and nods. 

“The staff actually.” She whispers.

Sarah raises a brow. 

“In that case, finish up and meet Grace at her tent.” Sarah says.

Dani watches her leave, taking a chug from her tin cup again. Dani hears the staff members chuckle, the embers of the fire crackling and washing them in a rich orange glow. She takes a seat on an empty crate. 

***

Dani chows down her food to make time to visit Grace before she returns to her father’s side. They still have two chest boxes to open, but with her father back she could ask about the staff and not have to worry about the archives anymore. Grace has her tent flaps closed, but she can see the oil lamps lighting it and the tall lean shadow of Grace behind it. Grace is too focused on note taking at the table to greet Dani when she enters. 

“Sarah said you wanted to see me?” Dani recalls. 

Grace’s bottom lip tucked between her teeth as she gives a curt nod. She finishes scribbling the last of her notes before she puts her fountain pen down. Dani scans the tent to see one of the boxes open and the other still sealed. Grace picks up a rolled long cylinder container from beside the box and places it on the table. 

“I found something worth looking over.” Grace says. 

“And the second box?” Dani asks.

“I’m working on it.” Grace replies, picking up a crowbar. “You really should look at that scroll.” 

Dani delicately unties it before sliding the parchment out. Grace bangs at the chest box lock a few times while she’s unrolling it. Dani uses a paperweight for one corner and a few textbooks for the other three corners to keep the paper flat. Grace grunts, whacking the lock a few times. It clings as it cracks in half and Grace stands over it, huffing before sorting through it. Dani’s finger glides over the ink written scroll. 

“The writing doesn’t match ancient Mexican text.” Dani announces. 

“That’s because it isn’t.” Grace says. 

Dani looks perplexed and turns to Grace. She pulls out another scroll, damp and wrinkled. Grace picks up a magnifying glass from her writing desk and hands it to Dani. Dani examines things closer while Grace unravels the other scroll. 

“Can you decipher it?” Grace asks.

Dani stands, a frown on her face and the magnifying glass back on the table.

“I doubt it.” Dani says. “Any guesses?” 

“Not at the moment.” Grace answers.

Grace looks the scroll over while she’s opening the second one. Dani notices the first scroll cuts off a letter that continues on the second scroll.

“Hold on.” Dani mutters. “They go together.” 

Grace places down extra books at the corners and stands back. She watches Dani read between the two, her brow furrowed together and concentrated on the text. Grace places a hand on her hips, examining the writing. 

“I… Know this?” Dani says, a wash of confusion on her face. “But, how could I possibly -- I’ll need more time to work on the scrolls.” 

“Should I brew us a fresh cup of coffee for the night?” Grace suggests. 

“No, I rather spend some time with my father tonight.” Dani says. “Keep this locked away.” 

Grace nods and rolls up the scrolls. She grips Dani by her forearms as she walks towards the exit of the tent. Dani glances over her shoulder, with a glare, but Grace’s face is stern. 

“Don’t you think this is strange?” Grace asks. 

“No one was expecting to find him, especially alive but that’s a miracle I am grateful for.” Dani says. 

Grace frowns, her lips pursed. She can’t be the only one that finds this to not sit well with her. Caution was something she valued and took great practice in especially during excavations in new lands. 

“Come on Dani, you find the scrolls and your father suddenly washes up? I remember that storm.” Grace implores. “No one could survive that. You call that luck?”

“Since when did you care about my safety?” Dani says. 

Grace releases her arm and sighs. They didn’t start on good terms. That’s something Grace knew, but she can’t deny the gut feeling she has. Dani has no reason to believe her though. She just sees it as a stroke of luck as any child would about their parents. Grace nods. 

“I’ll stay here working on the scrolls.” Grace says. 

“I’ll return first thing in the morning.” Dani promises. 

She leaves the tent and Grace paces around the table, looking over the scrolls. The tent opens again and Sarah enters with a sour look on her face. 

“I thought our plan was to get her to leave this excavation?” Sarah says. 

Grace approaches her, arms crossed over her chest. 

“There’s been a change of plans.” Grace answers. “She won’t leave now that the scrolls showed up.” 

Sarah glances to her right. She nods. That is a given, being that neither of them accounted for it to wash up. 

“And now her father.” Sarah adds. “I don’t buy it. He was as good as dead that day.” 

Grace nods. 

“He was dead.” 

Sarah looks over the scrolls.

“As for the scrolls? Can you really not decipher them?” Sarah questions.

“I can.” Grace assures. “Dani can’t know that though. This doesn’t look too good.” 

Sarah scoffs.

“We’re about to get into one hell of a shitstorm and we’re in the eye of it. What did you expect?” Sarah says. “Do you have a plan?” 

Grace rubs a hand over the back of her neck and lets out a frustrated grunt.

“I don’t know. The gem piece, that wasn’t even supposed to…” Grace grumbles. “I was hoping to find that before she got here.”

“How did he get that exactly?” Sarah says, looking over Grace’s arms. “It must have hurt. Are you alright?” 

Grace glares. The memory brings back old feelings of anger and disappointment. Sarah doesn’t press for an answer. 

“I underestimated him.” Grace says. “Just keep an eye on her for now? I have a bad feeling about this.” 

“Will do.” Sarah agrees. 

“The scrolls and gems are safe in my care.” Grace vows. 

Sarah knows to not question it, even given good reason to. She knows when to keep quiet and frankly, Grace is the only one everyone has at keeping things running smoothly. 

***

It’s the same dream that night. Dani is on the ship. She watches her father die again and that same man is after her. She’s in his black tendril grasp and the pain of his hold has increased. As if buring into her skin and weakening her. Dani squirms and pleads with him, but that emotionless stare does nothing, but watches her fade away. Until his arm is sliced in two and Dani hits the ground as the coil around her loosens and it fades. Dani is in a daze before she looks up to her savior, positioned above her and Dani gets the glint of the sword they’re holding. The man grins.

“You again?” 

Dani shifts up to sit on her elbows and sees the woman next to her. Her blonde straw colored hair and ocean blue eyes. She’s wearing entirely different clothing. White cloth, like a toga and sandals and her arms are covered in scars. 

“You won’t get the staff.” She says.

Dani stares alarmed and sees Grace above her, sweat-covered and pissed off. The man chuckles and sends a tendril toward her. She dodges it before rushing forward with her blade and screaming as she leaps over Dani with her sword above her head to strike. A blinding yellow light surrounds Dani and she shields her eyes with her hands until it dies down. Dani is still on the ground but the atmosphere of the boat changes. She’s in the lower decks. It’s dark with flickering candle lights along the walls. She hears mumbling then footsteps before her father enters the lower decks with a box in hand. Someone is behind him and Dani sees Grace again, in similar clothing she met her in before. 

“Emilio please. You can’t leave with the staff. Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?” Grace pleads. 

He turns around. 

“I remember what you told me, but what good is it here now?” He asks. 

“I can move it. I’ll be able to protect it.” Grace insists. 

Emilio looks her over with a scoff and a shake of her head. 

“If you set sail tomorrow your life is in danger.” Grace says.

“That’s a risk I’m willing to take.” Emilio agrees. 

The room fades and Dani feels herself sinking through the floor of the boat then floating into a vacuum of space. She screams, feeling herself free fall into emptiness then she’s awake in her bed, shaking and drenched in sweat. The peek of dawn creeping through her tent. She gets out of bed. 


End file.
